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Mr. Cousins,
I take issue with your viewpoint that the majority of the Republican field for President in 2012 have IQs below room temperature (Independent News, Feb. 2). I saw your bio in the “Rising Stars” issue (Independent News, Jan. 26) where you stated that you are a member of MENSA. You referred to your membership again in last week’s issue, adding that you “consider yourself to be highly intelligent.”

I respectfully disagree. Highly intelligent people rarely run around telling others how smart they are, and they generally respect viewpoints that differ from their own.

Let’s start from the top. You claim that “we haven’t seen very much of George W. Bush since he left office, that there aren’t very many people that miss him, or have even noticed his absence.” In addition to writing his memoirs, The Center for Public Integrity estimated in May 2011 that former President Bush had delivered around 140 speeches since leaving office (not as many as Bill Clinton, to be sure, who capped a decade of paid speaking events that has earned him a cool $75.6 million since leaving office according to a CNN analysis of federal financial records).

To some of us less is more, and we don’t care to see our past presidents cashing in on their political fortunes. There are a great number of people who DO miss Bush as is evidenced by the number of “MISS ME YET?” billboards around the country, and many who have sorrowfully noticed his absence replaced with a president we can’t seem to get away from every time we turn on the television.

You then make the absurd claim that none of the following candidates for the Republican nomination is “qualified to run the counter at a fast food joint.” Might I remind you that:

Michele Bachmann is a tax attorney and a U.S. congresswoman.

Ron Paul is a medical doctor and a U.S. congressman.

Rick Perry is a retired Air Force captain and the governor of one of our largest states.

Newt Gingrich is a history professor and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Sarah Palin is a former governor and vice presidential candidate.

I venture to say that any of them could run that fast food counter and that all of them have accomplished far more in their lives than you will.

You then go on to question whether any of these candidates should have access to our nuclear codes and the ability to launch weapons. Might I remind you that less than two years ago the Bird-brain from Alcatraz was third in line to the nuclear buttons!

It would seem to me that someone who publicly states that he considers himself to be highly intelligent would be a little bit scared of that unfortunate reality. She and her minions are largely responsible for the shellacking of 2010, the impending mandate of 2012 and the setback of progressive causes for generations to come.

It is time for the elite among us to quit posing as the smartest. MENSA member or not.